Ginetta Racer Childrens Charity

Ginetta driver Ryan Ratcliffe is following in the footsteps of Formula One ace Jenson Button, after raising a massive £1,400 for children’s charity; the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Having been fortunate enough to have his car and running costs covered from the offset of the 2011 Ginetta Challenge season, the 18-year old from Llanelli, Wales wanted to use his hobby to raise some extra money for a good cause, and after receiving a fundraising pack from Make-A-Wish – of which is motorsport hero Button is a patron -he decided to sign up.

Whilst his Ginetta racing career provided the perfect platform for fundraising – with a collection tin planted permanently in his awning – Ratcliffe wasn’t just aiming for podium spots for the sweet taste of champagne; he had convinced his sponsors Genquip, CJ Bird Transport, ABNC, Abbott Designs and Groundhog to donate up to £500 each time he brought home a top three finish.

Progressing from a strong debut season in the 2010 Ginetta Junior Championship into the 2011 Ginetta Challenge Championship, Ratcliffe said; “I didn’t want to keep asking my sponsors to ‘pay for this, and pay for that’, so I asked them if I could donate the money to a good cause instead. Thankfully they were happy to help!

“Some of the other guys in the paddock soon came around to the idea, and before long, myself and Richard Sykes would be placing bets on which of us would do better on track, with the loser putting £10 in the collection tin.”

A keen fundraiser himself, Ginetta Chairman Lawrence Tomlinson said; “It’s fantastic that Ginetta are able to support Ryan and Make-A-Wish in making children’s wishes come true. Ginetta aim to fulfil young racing drivers dreams of building a career in the motorsport industry, so to use our sport to extend our hand to support children with life-threatening illnesses is extremely humbling.”

Philanthropic Entrepreneur Tomlinson, Ginetta and the wider LNT Group are very supportive of both local and national charities, having just announced sponsorship of the Leeds’ PPiK Ginetta 24 Hour kart race in aid of Children In Need, as well as having sponsored the Race2Recovery Celebrity Kart Race at Autosport International earlier this year.

In 2012, Make-A-Wish needs to raise £6.8 million to grant the 1,400 ‘wish applications’ they are expecting to receive. Sarah Shearman, National Community Fundraising Manager for Make-A-Wish said; “We are thrilled with the amount of money that Ryan has raised and can’t thank him enough. 1,400 children will turn to Make-A-Wish this year to have their wish granted and without the dedication of supporters like Ryan this wouldn’t be possible.”

Already looking for another charity to support this year, Ratcliffe is keen to invite children to join himself and Piranha Motorsport at a Total Quartz Ginetta GT5 Challenge round this season.